Device for vaporizing liquids



March 11, 1930.- J. D. LALOR DEVICE FOR VAPORIZING LIQUIDS Filed Feb. 18, 1925 Q an @vlrmw 11v VEN TOR dixmesl). Lalor, A Tm Patented Mar. 11, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JAMES D. LALOR, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE FLUID HEAT COMPANY DEVICE FOR VAIPQRIZING LIQUIDS Application filed February 18, 1925. Serial No. 10,048.

This invention is concerned with the atomization of liquids, its main object being to enable perfect reduction to a vaporized consistency of comparatively heavy and dense liquids, more particularly hydro-carbons of 'the low Baum Varieties such as are ordinarily used in oil burning installations or systems, so as to render them susceptible of ready carburization by subsequent mixing with combustion-supporting air in the proper proportions.

A further object of my invention is to provide a highly eflicient, thoroughly reliable device of very simple design and construction by aid of which perfect vaporization of heavy hydro-carbons can be conveniently and economically carried out.

The various advantages accruing to this invention will be readily apparent from the detailed description hereinafter of an atomizer conveniently embodying my novel improvements, the same being shown in the accompanying drawings.

Fig. I is a sectional view of the device.

Fig. II is a fragmentary elevation of a portion of the main casing member of the atomizer.

Fig. III is a face View of a core piece formlng a part of the nozzle by. which the fluid to be atomized is converted into a jet for interaction with the atomizing medium. Figs. IVand V are, respectively, a plan view and a side elevation showing the atomizer in association with regulating gauges suitable for controlling the delivery pressure of the liquid to be atomized and the atomizing medium.

Referring first to Fig. I of these illustrations, the atomizer will be observed as comprising an elongated body member 1, and a cylindric shell 2 which encloses the greater portion of the body member, said shell being secured by a thread connection shown at 3, and fixed by a jamb nut 4. Integrally formed at the rear end of the body member 1 v are a pair of oppositely-directed laterallyment 12 of the body member 1, setting apart the annular.v spaces 9, 10 referred to. The

latter 10 of, these two spaces in turn communicates, by way of a duct 13, directly with the nipple 6 so that a continuous course is established in the device for guiding the atomizing medium delivered through the pipe line 8.

Locatedin a cavity 14 at the inner or enclosed end of the body member 1 of the atomizer is a core piece 15, which constitutes a art of a nozzle comprehensively indicated by the letter N, and whichalthough generally cylindric-has a portion 16 thereof somewhatreduced diametrically, with the forward end fashioned to frusto-conical configuration as indicated at 17 and the opposite end circumferentially enlarged as at 18 to a diameter corresponding substantially to that of the cavity 14. A screw tip 19 closing the end of the cavity 14 and constituting another component part of the nozzle N, is characterized by an inward extension with an axial hollow 20 which corresponds in configuration to, and accommodates the core piece 15, 5

a compressible washer 21, (preferably a ring of asbestos or the like encased by soft sheet metal such as copper) being interposed behind said core piece to insure firm pressure contact between the contiguous conical surfaces at 22 in the assembly. A passage 23 cular cavity 27 provided by a counter recess in the hollow 20 of the tip 19, is entered by way of a number of.tangentially-disposed channels 28 in the sloping surface of the core piece 14, see Fig. III, which set up a gyrating or whorling action in the cavity 27 The discharge from the small circular cavity 27 takes place through a very minute aperture 29 in the protruding portion of the tip 19, the approach to said aperture being tapered as shown at 29a to predetermined convergence of the flow and subsequent discharge at increased velocity through said aperture after the manner of a Venturi tube, and its exit as at 30to facilitate tangential expansion of the eiflux.

The vaporized liquid is expelled from the atomizer as hereinafter more fully explained, through the axial orifice 31 of a member 32 aligned with the nozzle N and screwed into a central opening 33 in the closed end of the casing shell 2. Here again I secure the advantage of Venturi action by tapering the approach of the orifice 31 as at 34, and of an expanding discharge by flaring the exit or outlet from said orifice as at 35. As a consequence of the opposed conical recessions in the contiguous faces of the tip 19 and the orificed member 32, a space 36 is formed within the nozzle N, which space may be conveniently termed an interacting chamber, said chamber communicating circumferentially with the space 9,- previously referred to, through a lateral interval 37, which may be varied as required to suit exacting conditions of operation by adjustment of the shell 2 relative to the main body part 1 of the atomizer, as readily permitted by the threaded connection at 3.

As a means to enable regulation of the flow of the liquid to be vaporized, as well as that of the atomizing medium, .I interpose in the pipe lines 7 and 8, hand valves 38 and 39 respectively. Also, if desired, gauges 40 and 41 may be employed, in connection with the valves 38 and 39, for convenience in maintaining the desired working pressures of the In operation of the device, the liquid conducted to the annular space 26 within the nozzle N by way of the passage 23 through the body member 1 and branch ducts 24 of the core piece 15, is gyrated in a clock-wisedirection as it enters the circular cavity 27 within the tip 19 through the tangentiallydisposed channels 28. The gyration or whorling thus induced is abruptly attenuated as it advances through the tapered apmitted at the same time through the passage 13, first enters the space 10 and from thence passes through the inclined circumferential channels 11 en route to the s ace 9, being thus conducted into the latter 1n a gyrating or swirling condition. The gyrating or swirling flow, as it advances in the space 9, is caused to contract in passing through the lateral interval 37, and thus enters the cham-' ber 36 at an increased speed of traveland as a converging streamto meet the tangentially expanding discharge of fluid projected through the nozzle aperture 29. Due to the interaction between the two fluid streams, the liquid jet is effectively broken up or atomized within the chamber 36, the interaction beingas a matter of fact-intensified by the Venturi effect of the constricted otifice 31 in the outlet member 32, so that a highly vaporized discharge issues from the atomizer flaring outlet 35. With the pressures properly regulated under control of the valves 38 and 39 and with the aid of the gauges 10 and 41, it will be apparent that very dense or highly viscous fluids may be atomized as readily as those of lower specific gravity. Although applicable to innumerable uses in practice, I again point out that my improved atomizer is particularly efficient in connection with the vaporization of hydro-carbons of the heavier varieties employed in oil burning systems, and good results are obtainable inthis special application with pressure varying between the limits of ten and three hundred pounds in the oil delivery, and between like limits in the delivery of the atomizing medium, the exact pressures being deter- 1niiineg entirely by the consistency of the qui Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An atomizer embodying members providing opposed concavities constituting an interacting chamber, means serving as individual conduits for the supply of pressuredelivered liquid and an atomizing medium concurrently into said chamber with tangential and radially inward flow respectively,

one of said conduits having a constricted orifice adapted to discharge the liquid at accelerated velocity, and the other of said conduits being adjustable to control the radiallyinward flow of the atomizing medium into said chamber whereby the liquid is thoroughly vaporized and discharges as a tangentially-expanding combustible mist from the atomizer.

2. An atomizer embodying opposedly concaved members jointly aifording an interacting chamber with constricted axial entryand discharge orifices, said members being spaced to provide a peripheral inlet to said chamher. one of said members constituting the tip cf a co-a'xia'i internal nozzle including means for establishing in the entry orifice a comparativelyfine rotating stream of liquid which upon issuing from such orifice into the interacting chamber expands tangentially of said orifice outwardly towards said peripheral inlet, and means with angularlypitched channels to establish a swirling stream of compressed atomizing medium moving inwardly through the peripheral inlet towards the axis of said chamber tobreak up the liquid flow and effect a tangentiallyexpanding vaporized discharge from the atomizer discharge orifice.

3. An atomizer embodying opposedlyflared members jointlyforming an interacting chamber with constricted axial entry and discharge orifices, said members being spaced to provide a peripheral inlet to said chamber, one of said members forming the tip of an internally-located nozzle having channels for establishing in the entry orifice a comparatively fine rotating stream of liquid which upon issuing therefrom into the interact ng chamber expands tangentially to saidorifice outwardly towards the peripheral inlet, means including angularly-pitched channels to establish a swirling stream of compressed atomizing medium moving inwardly through the peripheral inlet towards'the axis of the interacting chamber to break up the liquid fiow and effect a tangentially-expanding vaporized discharge from the chamber discharge orifice aforesaid.

4. An atomizer embodying opposedlyflared members ointly forming an interacting chamber with constricted axial entry and discharge orifices, said members being spaced to provide a peripheral inlet to sa d chamber. one of said members constituting the tip of an internally-located nozzle with the orifice.

therein serving as a minute Venturi discharge from a communicating co-axial circular hol- L from the chamber discharge orifice aforesaid.

5. An atomizer embodying opposed conically-flared members jointly forming an interacting chamber with constricted axial entry and discharge orifices, said members being spaced to provide a peripheral inlet to said chamber, one of said members constituting the tip of an internally-located nozzle adapted to inject a fine rotating flow of liquid into the interacting chamber, means defining an annular space about the nozzle that communicates laterally into the inlet of the interacting chamber, said space being approached by a series of angularly-pitched channels in a circumferential enlargement of the nozzle, whereby compressed atomizing medium is swirled in the course of its delivery to the peripheral inlet of the interacting chamber to break up the flow'of liquid and effect a tangentially-expanding discharge of atomized vapor from the constricted chamber discharge orifice aforesaid.

6. An atomizer embodying opposed conically-flared members jointly forming an interacting chamber with constricted axial entry and discharge orifices, said members being spaced to provide a peripheral inlet to said chamber, one of said members constituting the tip of an internally-located nozzle and having tangentially-disposed channels establishing in the entry orifice a comparatively fine rotating flow of liquid into the interacting chamber, means providing an annular passage surrounding the nozzle which communicates laterally into the inlet of the interacting chamber, said means being adjustable to vary the radially inward flow of concurrently-delivered compressed atomizing medium for transverseintersecting flow across the tangentially-expanding liquid in the interacting chamber andthereby effectively break it up before emission through the constricted discharge orifice aforesaid.

7. Ali atomizer embodying inner and outer reversely-flared components jointly forming aninteracting chamber having constricted axial liquid-entry and vapor-discharge orifices, said components being spaced to pro vide an intervening peripheral inlet for atomizer-medium; said inner component constituting the tip of an internally-located nozzle having tangential channels adapted to establish a comparatively fine rotating supply of liquid to the entry orifice and its tangential expansion into the interacting chamber; a casing surrounding the nozzle setting apart an annular passage forconcurrent supply of the compressed atomizermediumto the peripheral inlet and its transverse radially-inward flow across the inter acting chamber; and means permitting adjustment of said casing to vary the flowvelocity of the atomizer-medium into the interacting chamber and adjunctively to regulate the vapor density emitted from the atomizer discharge orifice aforesaid.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this 13th day of February, 1925.

JAMES D. LALOR. 

